You won’t believe how little $8.25 an hour buys

[BlackSand]

No you actually didn't talk about poverty on the national level at all and what you said about personal responsibility is demonstrably wrong.

The government plays a large role in income mobility with large investments in things like education. They also have to find ways to address things like racism and segregation that get in the way of income mobility. Income mobility in the US is largely dependent on regional factors which most certainly include government decisions.

Like I already said you still can't seem to understand the difference between a discussion on personal responsibility and a discussion of economics. You are still at the kids table, throwing a temper tantrum.

That is how you talk about poverty on the national level ... It addresses how the nation/government can handle poverty ... They will never be your savior ... EVER!
Of course government can adjust their decisions to better the conditions of prosperity within the realm of their powers and produce more responsible measures of their own.

There is no question as to how an individual escapes poverty ... And you can make all the excuses, or call it whatever you want.
You acting like a child and throwing a temper tantrum about what you want or don't want has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not it can be done and to what measure of success.

Wait for the government to make your decisions or provide for you ... Wait for your neighbor to supply what is necessary to achieve your goals ... Or grow the fuck up, become an adult and start taking responsibility for yourself ... Because that will actually get people where they want/need to go*.


*And more importantly ... You don't need the approval of anyone else to do it ... You don't need politicians, bullshit progressives that will attempt to keep you where you are or the simple excuse that it is someone else's fault.

If you don't "own" it ... You are at the mercy of someone else ... That is an inescapable fact and not a mystery.

.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

You won t believe how little 8.25 an hour buys Oxfam America First Person Blog
Disgusting that this is possible in the "richest country in the world"

Cleaning the movie theater is part of my daughter's duties. But does her job actually pay enough to live on? Photo: Mary Babic/Oxfam America
27Tweet

54Like

1+1

For my hard-working family and friends who earn just above the US minimum wage, a paycheck doesn’t go very far.

My daughter struck it lucky when she landed a job for $8.25 an hour at the local movie theater. They pay 25 cents more than the Massachusetts minimum wage (which is already 75 cents more than the federal wage); they don’t charge her for the monogrammed black polo shirt that constitutes her uniform (unlike some businesses); they let her know her hours a few days ahead; and they are, simply put, nice people: film nerds who enjoy keeping an independent theater alive, who don’t mind if she reads a book while sitting in the box office and waiting for the next rush.

Still, it’s a business. Her hours each week never mount up to the point where they’d be responsible for her healthcare (30 hours a week or more); her schedule varies widely; when it’s slow, they let her go (and it’s been a slow year for movies). And, to reiterate: they pay $8.25 an hour.

You can’t blame them; they’re generous at paying more than the legally required wage. But it is, even for my daughter, a measly wage. She lives at home, but she’s scraping together savings for college, living very simply, contributing to the household.

So what her earnings really translate to? I wondered, after seeing this helpful and harrowing piece on What Life Really Costs at $7.25 an Hour.

First, there’s transportation. After taxes, she brings home $7.62 an hour. Last week, after working for 27 hours (and commuting for about 8 hours), she got a check for $205.71. Just to get there and back: Slice the bus fare off the top (2.10 each way; 4.20 round trip; times four): 205.71 – 16.80 = 188.91.

A sandwich = one hour’s work. Some days, when her shift stretches longer than eight hours, she gets a plain chicken sandwich at the place next door: 7.43 (with tax). So she works a full hour to buy a sandwich. Without a drink.

A book = three hours. She loves books and music, and we visit the library every week. But sometimes she likes to buy the ones she loves the very most. Her favorite graphic novelist, Emily Carroll, just published a beautiful new book, Through the Woods. On Amazon, discounted, it’s $18.10. So she worked almost three hours to buy it.

Work shoes cost a day’s pay. We do most of our shopping at Goodwill, but every once in a while, she indulges. She really needed a good pair of shoes as she stands most of the time at work. She got a cheap pair of Nikes at around $50: Basically, a day’s pay.

And what about college tuition? Again, she got lucky: Smith College offered her a whopping scholarship, covering about half the cost. Which left her with a bill of (only) $24,000 for a year, not counting books, art supplies, etc.

So if she wants to cover one year of college – at this deeply discounted price – she’s going to work 3150 hours. Or 61 hours a week for a year. If she wants to go for the full four years… it would take 12,598 hours. Of course, she couldn’t eat. Or pay rent, take the bus, buy shoes, or get her hair cut. At least she can go to the movies…

So she’s lucky in some ways. But so many workers do not enjoy her luck. In fact, the vast majority of low-wage workers do not match this “Poster Child” profile of the minimum wage worker.

Source: the Economic Policy Institute.
Indeed, the average age of low-wage workers is 35. A third have dependent children at home. In our (extremely fortunate)Congressional district, 34,000 working families are using food stamps, and 71,000 are living below the poverty line .

And I bet you support sanctuary cities and illegal immigration.

 

[Bombur]

No you actually didn't talk about poverty on the national level at all and what you said about personal responsibility is demonstrably wrong.

The government plays a large role in income mobility with large investments in things like education. They also have to find ways to address things like racism and segregation that get in the way of income mobility. Income mobility in the US is largely dependent on regional factors which most certainly include government decisions.

Like I already said you still can't seem to understand the difference between a discussion on personal responsibility and a discussion of economics. You are still at the kids table, throwing a temper tantrum.

That is how you talk about poverty on the national level ... It addresses how the nation/government can handle poverty ... They will never be your savior ... EVER!
Of course government can adjust their decisions to better the conditions of prosperity within the realm of their powers and produce more responsible measures of their own.

There is no question as to how an individual escapes poverty ... And you can make all the excuses, or call it whatever you want.
You acting like a child and throwing a temper tantrum about what you want or don't want has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not it can be done and to what measure of success.

Wait for the government to make your decisions or provide for you ... Wait for your neighbor to supply what is necessary to achieve your goals ... Or grow the fuck up, become an adult and start taking responsibility for yourself ... Because that will actually get people where they want/need to go*.


*And more importantly ... You don't need the approval of anyone else to do it ... You don't need politicians, bullshit progressives that will attempt to keep you where you are or the simple excuse that it is someone else's fault.

If you don't "own" it ... You are at the mercy of someone else ... That is an inescapable fact and not a mystery.

.

Right now your arguments don't logically connect to the conversation. You are just repeating talking points that I already pointed out were broken. You are continually ignoring facts and logic in favor of a platitude that no one is really arguing against. We are simply pointing out that it isn't relevant.

I am not surprised that you chose the kid's table.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

Here's an idea: get some education and training so you're not stuck at the bottom!
Gee, that wasnt hard.

Fuck off rabbi, your posts are a crock of senseless bullshit. You do realize people need to work these jobs to afford education and a rising cost of living? You do realize poverty is hard to get out of, considering education costs keep going up while wages are stagnant, same with the cost of living, as mentioned. People have children, parents to take care of.. Then again, the right wing hates those in poverty.

It's harder when you're stupid.

 

[BlackSand]

Right now your arguments don't logically connect to the conversation. You are just repeating talking points that I already pointed out were broken. You are continually ignoring facts and logic in favor of a platitude that no one is really arguing against. We are simply pointing out that it isn't relevant.

I am not surprised that you chose the kid's table.

You have offered nothing ... Especially anything that shows acceptable results.
You have no logic expressed here ... Just empty speculation and empty promises that have proven to be abject failures throughout time.

If you have a rebuttal ... Feel free to offer it.
If you feel that people are better served by government than they would be by accomplishing their own goals to higher standards ... Then you are not that bright.

You don't even have the ability to understand that you are the one sitting at the child's table begging to be provided for and spoon fed ... Lolz!
And ... You are stupid enough to suggest you have the wellbeing of others in mind ... Learn how it is one takes care of their own self first.

Now quit fussing and eat your strained peas ...

.

 

[M14 Shooter]

And really...
8.25/hr x 50hrs/week = $1580 per month take home.
That someone may not be able maintain what you consider a minimum standard of standard of living on that much per month is meaningless.

 

[Bombur]

Right now your arguments don't logically connect to the conversation. You are just repeating talking points that I already pointed out were broken. You are continually ignoring facts and logic in favor of a platitude that no one is really arguing against. We are simply pointing out that it isn't relevant.

I am not surprised that you chose the kid's table.

You have offered nothing ... Especially anything that shows acceptable results.
You have no logic expressed here ... Just empty speculation and empty promises that have proven to be abject failures throughout time.

If you have a rebuttal ... Feel free to offer it.
If you feel that people are better served by government than they would be by accomplishing their own goals to higher standards ... Then you are not that bright.

You don't even have the ability to understand that you are the one sitting at the child's table begging to be provided for and spoon fed ... Lolz!
And ... You are stupid enough to suggest you have the wellbeing of others in mind ... Learn how it is one takes care of their own self first.

Now quit fussing and eat your strained peas ...

.

I brought up education which has been incredibly important at ensuring income mobility and overall economic growth. Are you really arguing against public education or are you just hoping that no one notices that you don't know wtf you are talking about?

I have also pointed out the need to look at economic shifts from the national level. For example the trade deficit. Are you still suggesting we don't have to look at the trade deficit when talking about the market conditions labor faces in the US?

It is time for you to take personal responsibility for your understanding of the world around you. I will assume your next post will have about as much meaningful content as all your others so forgive me if I don't take it seriously enough to respond.

 

[2aguy]

You won t believe how little 8.25 an hour buys Oxfam America First Person Blog
Disgusting that this is possible in the "richest country in the world"

Cleaning the movie theater is part of my daughter's duties. But does her job actually pay enough to live on? Photo: Mary Babic/Oxfam America
27Tweet

54Like

1+1

For my hard-working family and friends who earn just above the US minimum wage, a paycheck doesn’t go very far.

My daughter struck it lucky when she landed a job for $8.25 an hour at the local movie theater. They pay 25 cents more than the Massachusetts minimum wage (which is already 75 cents more than the federal wage); they don’t charge her for the monogrammed black polo shirt that constitutes her uniform (unlike some businesses); they let her know her hours a few days ahead; and they are, simply put, nice people: film nerds who enjoy keeping an independent theater alive, who don’t mind if she reads a book while sitting in the box office and waiting for the next rush.

Still, it’s a business. Her hours each week never mount up to the point where they’d be responsible for her healthcare (30 hours a week or more); her schedule varies widely; when it’s slow, they let her go (and it’s been a slow year for movies). And, to reiterate: they pay $8.25 an hour.

You can’t blame them; they’re generous at paying more than the legally required wage. But it is, even for my daughter, a measly wage. She lives at home, but she’s scraping together savings for college, living very simply, contributing to the household.

So what her earnings really translate to? I wondered, after seeing this helpful and harrowing piece on What Life Really Costs at $7.25 an Hour.

First, there’s transportation. After taxes, she brings home $7.62 an hour. Last week, after working for 27 hours (and commuting for about 8 hours), she got a check for $205.71. Just to get there and back: Slice the bus fare off the top (2.10 each way; 4.20 round trip; times four): 205.71 – 16.80 = 188.91.

A sandwich = one hour’s work. Some days, when her shift stretches longer than eight hours, she gets a plain chicken sandwich at the place next door: 7.43 (with tax). So she works a full hour to buy a sandwich. Without a drink.

A book = three hours. She loves books and music, and we visit the library every week. But sometimes she likes to buy the ones she loves the very most. Her favorite graphic novelist, Emily Carroll, just published a beautiful new book, Through the Woods. On Amazon, discounted, it’s $18.10. So she worked almost three hours to buy it.

Work shoes cost a day’s pay. We do most of our shopping at Goodwill, but every once in a while, she indulges. She really needed a good pair of shoes as she stands most of the time at work. She got a cheap pair of Nikes at around $50: Basically, a day’s pay.

And what about college tuition? Again, she got lucky: Smith College offered her a whopping scholarship, covering about half the cost. Which left her with a bill of (only) $24,000 for a year, not counting books, art supplies, etc.

So if she wants to cover one year of college – at this deeply discounted price – she’s going to work 3150 hours. Or 61 hours a week for a year. If she wants to go for the full four years… it would take 12,598 hours. Of course, she couldn’t eat. Or pay rent, take the bus, buy shoes, or get her hair cut. At least she can go to the movies…

So she’s lucky in some ways. But so many workers do not enjoy her luck. In fact, the vast majority of low-wage workers do not match this “Poster Child” profile of the minimum wage worker.

Source: the Economic Policy Institute.
Indeed, the average age of low-wage workers is 35. A third have dependent children at home. In our (extremely fortunate)Congressional district, 34,000 working families are using food stamps, and 71,000 are living below the poverty line .

Dipstick.....8.25 an hour is not meant to live on....it is for teenagers and retirees......if you are trying to support yourself or a family on it......get a different job.

If you had children when you are only making 8.25 an hour....you have greatly wronged your children.....not me, or the other people in America....you..........

Don't have children if you can't support them...that should be taught in all public schools.....would save a lot of suffering....those children...and me as I have to read stupid posts like this....

 

[Bombur]

You won t believe how little 8.25 an hour buys Oxfam America First Person Blog
Disgusting that this is possible in the "richest country in the world"

Cleaning the movie theater is part of my daughter's duties. But does her job actually pay enough to live on? Photo: Mary Babic/Oxfam America
27Tweet

54Like

1+1

For my hard-working family and friends who earn just above the US minimum wage, a paycheck doesn’t go very far.

My daughter struck it lucky when she landed a job for $8.25 an hour at the local movie theater. They pay 25 cents more than the Massachusetts minimum wage (which is already 75 cents more than the federal wage); they don’t charge her for the monogrammed black polo shirt that constitutes her uniform (unlike some businesses); they let her know her hours a few days ahead; and they are, simply put, nice people: film nerds who enjoy keeping an independent theater alive, who don’t mind if she reads a book while sitting in the box office and waiting for the next rush.

Still, it’s a business. Her hours each week never mount up to the point where they’d be responsible for her healthcare (30 hours a week or more); her schedule varies widely; when it’s slow, they let her go (and it’s been a slow year for movies). And, to reiterate: they pay $8.25 an hour.

You can’t blame them; they’re generous at paying more than the legally required wage. But it is, even for my daughter, a measly wage. She lives at home, but she’s scraping together savings for college, living very simply, contributing to the household.

So what her earnings really translate to? I wondered, after seeing this helpful and harrowing piece on What Life Really Costs at $7.25 an Hour.

First, there’s transportation. After taxes, she brings home $7.62 an hour. Last week, after working for 27 hours (and commuting for about 8 hours), she got a check for $205.71. Just to get there and back: Slice the bus fare off the top (2.10 each way; 4.20 round trip; times four): 205.71 – 16.80 = 188.91.

A sandwich = one hour’s work. Some days, when her shift stretches longer than eight hours, she gets a plain chicken sandwich at the place next door: 7.43 (with tax). So she works a full hour to buy a sandwich. Without a drink.

A book = three hours. She loves books and music, and we visit the library every week. But sometimes she likes to buy the ones she loves the very most. Her favorite graphic novelist, Emily Carroll, just published a beautiful new book, Through the Woods. On Amazon, discounted, it’s $18.10. So she worked almost three hours to buy it.

Work shoes cost a day’s pay. We do most of our shopping at Goodwill, but every once in a while, she indulges. She really needed a good pair of shoes as she stands most of the time at work. She got a cheap pair of Nikes at around $50: Basically, a day’s pay.

And what about college tuition? Again, she got lucky: Smith College offered her a whopping scholarship, covering about half the cost. Which left her with a bill of (only) $24,000 for a year, not counting books, art supplies, etc.

So if she wants to cover one year of college – at this deeply discounted price – she’s going to work 3150 hours. Or 61 hours a week for a year. If she wants to go for the full four years… it would take 12,598 hours. Of course, she couldn’t eat. Or pay rent, take the bus, buy shoes, or get her hair cut. At least she can go to the movies…

So she’s lucky in some ways. But so many workers do not enjoy her luck. In fact, the vast majority of low-wage workers do not match this “Poster Child” profile of the minimum wage worker.

Source: the Economic Policy Institute.
Indeed, the average age of low-wage workers is 35. A third have dependent children at home. In our (extremely fortunate)Congressional district, 34,000 working families are using food stamps, and 71,000 are living below the poverty line .

Dipstick.....8.25 an hour is not meant to live on....it is for teenagers and retirees......if you are trying to support yourself or a family on it......get a different job.

If you had children when you are only making 8.25 an hour....you have greatly wronged your children.....not me, or the other people in America....you..........

Don't have children if you can't support them...that should be taught in all public schools.....would save a lot of suffering....those children...and me as I have to read stupid posts like this....

You can't simply wish facts to not be true. It would be great if we lived in a society where only teenagers made min wage. We don't live in that world and have to make decisions based on the world we do live in.

Talking about personal responsibility is fine but it isn't a solution nor does it effectively address why there is an issue. The labor markets that these people take part in are impacted by a lot more than their own work ethic. There are consequences to this problem that extend beyond just the life of the worker but to their children.

 

[M14 Shooter]

You can't simply wish facts to not be true. It would be great if we lived in a society where only teenagers made min wage. We don't live in that world and have to make decisions based on the world we do live in.

What % of people making minimum wage are -not- teenagers, students, retired, voluntarily working part time or people working a 2nd job?

 

[BlackSand]

I brought up education which has been incredibly important at ensuring income mobility and overall economic growth. Are you really arguing against public education or are you just hoping that no one notices that you don't know wtf you are talking about?

I have also pointed out the need to look at economic shifts from the national level. For example the trade deficit. Are you still suggesting we don't have to look at the trade deficit when talking about the market conditions labor faces in the US?

It is time for you to take personal responsibility for your understanding of the world around you. I will assume your next post will have about as much meaningful content as all your others so forgive me if I don't take it seriously enough to respond.

I haven't argued against public education at all ... And know precisely what I am talking about.
Which is something you haven't yet been able to relate back to me as far as any legitimate observation or response.

You can hang a wish and a prayer on the government, trade deficits, and the idea that any of that will make a bigger difference to the individual and their prosperity ... Than the individual doing something different and more productive all you want ... And will still be wrong over and over and over again.

I understand, work, invest and receive the appropriate returns from the world around me in a manner that you obviously cannot even fathom.
Let me know when you are interested in putting on some big boy pants and stepping up to the plate on both the national and international level ... I have (Which I know as a fact pisses Progressives/Nationalists off to no end ... Because it shows everyone exactly how useless the Progressives/Nationalists and their failed policies are).

If you don't think you can respond ... Or at least come up with a better response (that isn't just pie in the sky wishful thinking) ... Then shut the fuck up.

.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Once again a very appropriate video.....



And talk about telling the future...

 

[SuperDemocrat]

You won t believe how little 8.25 an hour buys Oxfam America First Person Blog
Disgusting that this is possible in the "richest country in the world"

Cleaning the movie theater is part of my daughter's duties. But does her job actually pay enough to live on? Photo: Mary Babic/Oxfam America
27Tweet

54Like

1+1

For my hard-working family and friends who earn just above the US minimum wage, a paycheck doesn’t go very far.

My daughter struck it lucky when she landed a job for $8.25 an hour at the local movie theater. They pay 25 cents more than the Massachusetts minimum wage (which is already 75 cents more than the federal wage); they don’t charge her for the monogrammed black polo shirt that constitutes her uniform (unlike some businesses); they let her know her hours a few days ahead; and they are, simply put, nice people: film nerds who enjoy keeping an independent theater alive, who don’t mind if she reads a book while sitting in the box office and waiting for the next rush.

Still, it’s a business. Her hours each week never mount up to the point where they’d be responsible for her healthcare (30 hours a week or more); her schedule varies widely; when it’s slow, they let her go (and it’s been a slow year for movies). And, to reiterate: they pay $8.25 an hour.

You can’t blame them; they’re generous at paying more than the legally required wage. But it is, even for my daughter, a measly wage. She lives at home, but she’s scraping together savings for college, living very simply, contributing to the household.

So what her earnings really translate to? I wondered, after seeing this helpful and harrowing piece on What Life Really Costs at $7.25 an Hour.

First, there’s transportation. After taxes, she brings home $7.62 an hour. Last week, after working for 27 hours (and commuting for about 8 hours), she got a check for $205.71. Just to get there and back: Slice the bus fare off the top (2.10 each way; 4.20 round trip; times four): 205.71 – 16.80 = 188.91.

A sandwich = one hour’s work. Some days, when her shift stretches longer than eight hours, she gets a plain chicken sandwich at the place next door: 7.43 (with tax). So she works a full hour to buy a sandwich. Without a drink.

A book = three hours. She loves books and music, and we visit the library every week. But sometimes she likes to buy the ones she loves the very most. Her favorite graphic novelist, Emily Carroll, just published a beautiful new book, Through the Woods. On Amazon, discounted, it’s $18.10. So she worked almost three hours to buy it.

Work shoes cost a day’s pay. We do most of our shopping at Goodwill, but every once in a while, she indulges. She really needed a good pair of shoes as she stands most of the time at work. She got a cheap pair of Nikes at around $50: Basically, a day’s pay.

And what about college tuition? Again, she got lucky: Smith College offered her a whopping scholarship, covering about half the cost. Which left her with a bill of (only) $24,000 for a year, not counting books, art supplies, etc.

So if she wants to cover one year of college – at this deeply discounted price – she’s going to work 3150 hours. Or 61 hours a week for a year. If she wants to go for the full four years… it would take 12,598 hours. Of course, she couldn’t eat. Or pay rent, take the bus, buy shoes, or get her hair cut. At least she can go to the movies…

So she’s lucky in some ways. But so many workers do not enjoy her luck. In fact, the vast majority of low-wage workers do not match this “Poster Child” profile of the minimum wage worker.

Source: the Economic Policy Institute.
Indeed, the average age of low-wage workers is 35. A third have dependent children at home. In our (extremely fortunate)Congressional district, 34,000 working families are using food stamps, and 71,000 are living below the poverty line .

The market determines wages. There is nothing you can do about it. I suspect the solution is to find a better job.

 

[DrDoomNGloom]

Here's an idea: get some education and training so you're not stuck at the bottom!
Gee, that wasnt hard.

Fuck off rabbi, your posts are a crock of senseless bullshit. You do realize people need to work these jobs to afford education and a rising cost of living? You do realize poverty is hard to get out of, considering education costs keep going up while wages are stagnant, same with the cost of living, as mentioned. People have children, parents to take care of.. Then again, the right wing hates those in poverty.

The right wing doesn't face the same problem??

So when you are born right wing, God automatically makes money shoot out your ass?? I mean how does this work??

Instead of causing trouble by advocating inflation, take the smarter peoples advice and find an education and improve yourself.

Stop looking around at what others have and be thankful for what you do have not for what you don't have.

Learn to accept some personal responsibility for yourself.

Learn to prioritize and live within your means.

But first learn to read, this is an entry level job not intended to support a family or one's self.

It is an entry level job that was meant to teach entry level skills, perhaps you should have worked a few of those.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

You won’t believe how little $8.25 an hour buys

If you're an adult making $8.25 an hour then you're a fucking failure and have a lot more issues going on than your employee wage.

 

[Papageorgio]

So you admit that you hate the poor?

No. I am poor, therefore I cannot hate myself.

Doesn't really make any sense, but whatever man.

Of course, logic makes no sense to people like you.

When I refer to right wing hatred of the poor, it's in the typical partisan nature of this forum which keeps growing on me, you do realize that statement refers to right wingers who believe the poor need no aid programs, lack any basic understanding of poverty.. You may be an exception, where do you stand on food stamps?

Nutters that generalize. I know liberals that pay under the table and pay below minimum wage. They feel their money should go to a "greater good". I always paid above minimum and paid my taxes and stayed legal. I think both sides of the spectrum have their share of people that don't understand, your lumping people into one or another category, just divides and serves no other purpose.

 

[DrDoomNGloom]

You can't simply wish facts to not be true. It would be great if we lived in a society where only teenagers made min wage. We don't live in that world and have to make decisions based on the world we do live in.

Don't you know when you come out and spew shit out your ass, someone will eventually expose you for what you are ??

Who makes minimum wage?
By Drew DeSilver177 comments



Given the continuing campaigns by unions, workers, politicians and others to raise the federal minimum wage, it bears asking: Just who are minimum-wage workers, anyway?

Perhaps surprisingly, not very many people earn minimum wage, and they make up a smaller share of the workforce than they used to. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, last year 1.532 million hourly workers earned the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour; nearly 1.8 million more earned less than that because they fell under one of several exemptions (tipped employees, full-time students, certain disabled workers and others), for a total of 3.3 million hourly workers at or below the federal minimum.

That group represents 4.3% of the nation’s 75.9 million hourly-paid workers and 2.6% of all wage and salary workers. In 1979, when the BLS began regularly studying minimum-wage workers, they represented 13.4% of hourly workers and 7.9% of all wage and salary workers. (Bear in mind that the 3.3 million figure doesn’t include salaried workers, although BLS says relatively few salaried workers are paid at what would translate into below-minimum hourly rates. Also, 23 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have higher minimum wages than the federal standard; people who earned the state minimum wage in those jurisdictions aren’t included in the 3.3 million total.)

People at or below the federal minimum are:

• Disproportionately young: 50.4% are ages 16 to 24; 24% are teenagers (ages 16 to 19).
• Mostly (77%) white; nearly half are white women.
• Largely part-time workers (64% of the total).

Talking about personal responsibility is fine but it isn't a solution nor does it effectively address why there is an issue. The labor markets that these people take part in are impacted by a lot more than their own work ethic. There are consequences to this problem that extend beyond just the life of the worker but to their children.

Just like any other market force, supply and demand determine prevailing prices ......................

Bringing the children into this is simply a sympathy card played by an ignorant desperate man.

Daddy should have stayed around to raise his little porch monkeys .................

Moma should not have been a promiscuous whore ...................

Education in life instead of self fulfillment would be the best starting point for morons like you.

 

[Bombur]

I brought up education which has been incredibly important at ensuring income mobility and overall economic growth. Are you really arguing against public education or are you just hoping that no one notices that you don't know wtf you are talking about?

I have also pointed out the need to look at economic shifts from the national level. For example the trade deficit. Are you still suggesting we don't have to look at the trade deficit when talking about the market conditions labor faces in the US?

It is time for you to take personal responsibility for your understanding of the world around you. I will assume your next post will have about as much meaningful content as all your others so forgive me if I don't take it seriously enough to respond.

I haven't argued against public education at all ... And know precisely what I am talking about.
Which is something you haven't yet been able to relate back to me as far as any legitimate observation or response.

You can hang a wish and a prayer on the government, trade deficits, and the idea that any of that will make a bigger difference to the individual and their prosperity ... Than the individual doing something different and more productive all you want ... And will still be wrong over and over and over again.

I understand, work, invest and receive the appropriate returns from the world around me in a manner that you obviously cannot even fathom.
Let me know when you are interested in putting on some big boy pants and stepping up to the plate on both the national and international level ... I have (Which I know as a fact pisses Progressives/Nationalists off to no end ... Because it shows everyone exactly how useless the Progressives/Nationalists and their failed policies are).

If you don't think you can respond ... Or at least come up with a better response (that isn't just pie in the sky wishful thinking) ... Then shut the fuck up.

.

Labor markets impact people's lives. I have no problem hanging my hat on that fact.

 

[bripat9643]

Sorry chum. Her daughter takes in about $250 a week for 30 hours of work and supports no one.

Stop whining!

We're not talking about a specific person, but if you want to put it down to that, your essentially saying her daughter should fuck herself and get a college education with money that comes from... Oh wait, the job which barely pays enough to hold down an apartment. Flawless. Fuck off.

Her little princess lives at home.

It's got to be tough being a socialist after the fall of the USSR and more recently the socialists in Greece falling to capitalism, badly.

The USSR collapsed due to revisionism bud, talk to some historians, and the GDP plummeted after the USSR fell, and many people want it back. Greece failed because of people not paying taxes.. And the retirement age, neither of which have anything to do with socialism.

You're a dingbat. |Greece collapsed economically because it could not live off the money of others. The USSR fell because socialism does not work outside of a very few wealth-producing homogeneous states, which was certainly not Greece of the Soviet Block.

Sorry, but your failure to understand socialism tells me all I need to know, educate yourself, I have videos to help with that in my signature.

The only thing he failed at is succumbing to the same delusions you suffer from.

 

[boilermaker55]

Better do some research before you post "your opinion" about how and when wages stagnated.

Here's an idea: get some education and training so you're not stuck at the bottom!
Gee, that wasnt hard.

Fuck off rabbi, your posts are a crock of senseless bullshit. You do realize people need to work these jobs to afford education and a rising cost of living? You do realize poverty is hard to get out of, considering education costs keep going up while wages are stagnant, same with the cost of living, as mentioned. People have children, parents to take care of.. Then again, the right wing hates those in poverty.

I post the obvious answer and it's someone else's fault.
Wages have stagnated under Obama and the socialist regime. Workforce participation is down because its easier to get on SSI and unemployment than to find a job. This is what socialism leads to.
You want more than 8/hr? Go earn it.